Adjustable reel



Feb. 28, 1933. H, E, sHEELEY 1,899,117

ADJUSTABLE REEL Filed Nov. 5, 1930 2 sheets-sheetv 1 Feb. 28, 1933.' H ESHEELEY 1,899,117

ADJUSTABLE REEL Filed Nov. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb.28,1933,

HoWARnn.-A sHEELnY, or MICHIGAN CITY, jnvnriiirmV Y ADJUSTABLE mann lAnneau@ mea November 3,1930. .serial Ne.- 493,183.

My invention .relatestothe art'of reeling and Ahas special reference tothe art ofl handling rope, wire, light chains, sash cord,

heavy twine, electric cable or conductorwire,

the same size of-wire, hence the, need ofan i adjustable: reel toaid in*the uncoiling. ,of

15' wire for all sorts of electric installation such as commercialwiring fo-r lighting,\refrigera-, tion, elevatory operation, telephoneand tele-r graph exchanges, burglar alarms rand the While my improvedreel is especially adaptable to such uses as indicated-it is obviousthat it maybeused for unwindingcoils of lany-,material that are normallysold without a supporting spool.

However the primary object of my inventionv is to facilitate andtherefore expedite electricwiringoperations such as indicated above byfeeding electric conductor Wire kor cable to the electricianoccupiedwithits inf '3 .stallatiom and to do this without kinking ortangling-in the coil.

' Still another object of my invention is to provide such a structure asdefined above as 4will permit the uncoiling. withoutiback lash,

- ,35. and which is capable of readyadjustment to:

provide for the handlingof Aco'ils'of varying sizes, such asindicatedlabove. v f' i While certainof the above objects were attainedin my prior Patent No.1,557 ,887 is- 40 sued to me October 20, 1925, bymy present invention they are attained by a selffcontainedl and unified`structure which is Vmuch simpler in operation, easier of manufacture,

45 vand more'eiiicientin use. o

forth the novel` struotureby which the above objects are attained. y y

Having reference `tothe drawings:l f Fig.` 1 is a plan view of theduplex form 5 0 of v myl improved reel, showing )one `reel col- ,of thearrow.`

duplexformof my reel stand.

The following specificationfclearly ysets r keeper 17 and reel member20, is a folding yspokes 29 are formed at theirouter ends `withlapsed,andl one reel expanded with a coil of 1 wire thereon.,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of that form of my device shown in Fig. 1taken in the direction Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing thepreferred construction kat the end of `the spokes ofthe reel members. 'If' Fig.V 4e is averticallongitudinal sectional e .view takenonline 1 -4of Fig. 1.9 G0

' Y F gt is a detail viewlnperlspectiveof the ig. 6 is adetall view 1nperspective of the 'single form of my reel stand.

'.Withreference to the several figures ofthe i drawings', specificallymy improved reel comv.prises Va 'stand ,10, yWhichin the, duplex form f`consists' of two' members y11 [brazed together as showniin'. Fig .-5f.-5 yEa'chniember 11 "comprises a base portion 12, bent to Vthe general'.

formA ofthegletter Uy; an upright 13, and a horizontal bearing memberflfMounted on this horizontal member is lan extended or elongated sleeve 15provided on its 'outer sur# f, face withthreads or ridges 16 fora`purpose "'75 that will presently bedescribed. At the outer end lof thehorizontal member 14e isfixe'd a suitable thrust keeper 1,7. At theinner end of saidrnember 14 isashort. collar 18 which acts as aretaining member for spring 19A coiled on member 14 between said sleeve15 and collar 1 8.v The function offspring 19,V is to preventspin'ningofthe coil andresult-l ing back lash. e

'p Rigldly mounted on sleeve 15 at its inner 35 endis a spoked reelmember l20 comprising `a es hubr 21 having fixed therein suitable spo22. These spokes 22 are so formedattheir outer endsas to providesuitable guidesy 23 for flexiblecoil holding members 24 and en-` 9.0

larged wear blocks25, which reduce the .wear Vony the flexible members24. Saidflexible members 24e are suitably` secured vto said spokes 22 asindicated at 26.

Slidablyl mounted on sleeve 5 15 between reel, member 27 having a hub 28 on which are l pivoted spokesf29 ofa number to correspond guides andwear blocks 31 corresponding with like features on spokes 22. At theirinner ends spokes 29 are pivoted near their outer faces as indicated at32 so that when expanded the inner face edges 33 of said spokes 29 willengage with the. threads or` ridges 16 on sleeve 15 to prevent inward1ongitudinal movement of hub 28 on sleeve 15.

Spokes 29 are provided on their outer faces with a series of slopingslots 34 in which are anti-friction rollers 35 mounted on pins 36. It isobvious that a series of holes could be substituted for the slotswithout departing from my invention. Thev flexible .coil members 24 passthrough guides 30 at the outer ends of spokes 29, thence under theanti-friction rollers 35 to a suitable anchorage as indicated at 37.

It is well known that electric wiring, electric cable, and similarlyformed articles are sold in coils, which are secured from unc0il ing bytwine or wire lwound around the rim of the coil transverse thereto. Thisleaves a central opening as is well known. In the use of my improvedreel the flexible members 24 are adjusted in the slots 34 to1theapproximate diameter of the opening of` the coil t0 be handled. Then thespokes 29 are collapsed, the coil placed thereover, then hub'28 Vis slidoutwardly on sleeve l'until the tensionk on the flexible members 24causes the inneredges 33 lof the spokes 29 to engage the threads orridges 16 on the sleeve 1,5, thereby making them rigid, `which rigiditywill be 'maintained until the entire'coil is unwound.

lVliile I have shown the standard of my improved reel formed from aVsingle bent element, `it is withinv the purview of myinven- .Y `tion toform the same with any rigid base and `4o an lupright to which thehorizontal bearing 'may be suitably attached.

Itis also withinthe scope of my invention to form the spokes `of mydevice of wood or other solidmatter as well as from sheet metal asshown.

My improved' reel `may be supported in banks 'if desired.y It is alsocapable of being mounted on vertically disposed bearing members.

Having thusfully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An adjustable reel for handlin open jcenter coils of wire or likemateria comprising an elongated bearing member having a rigid side reelmember secured at one end` thereof, a collapsible side reel memberslidably mounted on said bearing member, adjustable flexible coilsupporting members connecting said side reel members, and meanspermitting adjustment of said coil supporting members.

2. An adjustable reel for handling :open

' center coils of wire or like material comprising an elongated bearingmember having a rigid side reel member secured at one end thereof, acollapsible side reel member having foldable arms and slidably mountedon said bearing member, and flexible coil supporting members connectingsaid side reel members at approximately the greatest diameter there- Aameter thereof andV adapted to expand the arm `of said collapsible reelmember upon sliding the collapsible member away from saidl rigid memberand means on said bearing and collapsible member for maintaining sainerigid when expanded.

4. An adjustable reel for handling open center coils of wire or likematerial, comprising an elongated bearing member having groovesron itsouter surface, a rigid side reel Vmember secured at one end thereof, ac-ollapsible side reel member having foldable arms and slidably mountedon said bearing member, flexible coill supporting members connestingsaid side" reel members at approximately the greatest diameter thereofand adapted'to expand the arms of said collapsible reel member uponsliding the collapsible Y member away from `said rigid member, andmeans' on said collapsible reel member adapted when expanded to engagesaid grooves on the bearing member. i

5. An adjustable reel as described comprisin a standard having a base,an upright and a bearing stud, a grooved bearing member j ournalled onsaid stud, arigid side reel memlber secured at vone end of said bearingmember, a collapsible side reel member having foldable arms and slidablymounted on said bearing umember, flexible coil supporting membersconnecting said rigid and collapsible reel members at approximately thegreatest diameter thereof and adapted to expand the arms of saidcollapsible reel member upon sliding the collapsible member away fromsaid rigid member, means on said collapsible member adapted to engagethe grooves in said bearing memberl when expanded and means permittingthe adj ustmeiit of said flexible members.

6. An adjustable reel for handling open i center coilsof wire or likematerialfcomprising an elongated bearing 'member having a rigid sidereel member secured at one `end thereof, a side reel member slidablymounted on said bearing member and comprising a-- hub `having armspivoted thereon, flexible Coil supportingV members connecting said rigidside reel member Vwith the outery ends of said pivoted arms of theslidable side reel member whereby movement of said slid-A able memberaway from said rigid member' causes said arms to expand. e

7. An adjustable reel for handling open center coils of wire or likematerial compris` ing an elongated bearing member having se- Cured atone end thereof a rigid side reel member composed of a hub and arms, aside reel member slidably mounted on said bearing member and comp osedof a hub having pivoted thereon arms of equal number as said rigidreelmember, and flexible-'coil supporting members Connecting the outer endslof the corresponding arms of both saidreel mem-r bers, whereby outwardmovement of the hub of said movable side reel member will'cause saidpivoted arms to expand.

8. An adjustable -reel for handling open center coils of wire or likelmaterial comprising an elongated bearing `member havingsecured at oneend thereof a rigid side reel member composed of a hub and arms havingan- Chor members yat their free ends, a complementary side reel memberslidably mounted on said bearing member and composed of a hub havingpivoted thereonarms of a number equaling those of the rigid reel member,said arms having a series of openings, ythe openings of each serieshaving the same radii. anchor members adapted to be secured in saidopenings, and flexible members fastened at their ends to said anchormembers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set HOWARD" E.' SHEELEY.

